Improvement in tuckers for sewing-machines



JOSEPH H. BEAN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN TUCKERS FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 131,418, datedSeptember 17, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH H. BEAN, of (Jincinnati, in the county ofHamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Tucker; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full andexact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to that class of sewing-machine attachments whichare designed especially for tucking purposes; and consists mainly in thecombination of a main plate having a spring-plate for holding the tuck,with a swinging arm pivoted to the main plate provided with a point andan adjustable gageplate, as will be fully described hereinafter.

In the drawing, Figures 1 and 2 represent plan views of my improvedtucker. Fig. 8, a side elevation; Figs. 4, 5, and 6, partial views,

.representin g the fabric in different positions;

and Figs. 7, 8, and 9, views of the peculiarlyconstructed point whichassists in guiding the cloth by the seam.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I willnow proceed to dedescribe fully its construction and manner ofoperation.

A represents the plate, by means of which my improved device is attachedto the clothplate of the sewing machine. It is provided with the slots aa, either of which is adapted to receive the securing-screw x in theusual wellknown manner. a represents an arm, by means of which it isunited to the main plate B. This arm extends beneath the bar 0 of theslotted piece 0 rigidly attached to the main plate A, and terminates inthe slot of piece 0, it being secured from displacement by the upturnedends a a the latter of which, a also serves as a gage. The inner edgesof the plate A are also turned up to form gages a a, as clearly shown inthe drawing. The main plate B is .made of suitable length and width, asshown,

and has rigidly attached to it the slotted plate 0, as before described,the latter being provided with flanges at each end, so that a space isleft between the platesB and G, in which moves freely the arm a. ofthe'plate A. D represents a'spring-plate rigidly fixed at one end to thearm B, the free end of which rests upon the inner end of plate 0, asshown. E represents a swinging arm pivoted at one end to the end ofplate B, as shown, which arm, being curved for a short distance, isextended "in a straight line until its inner. end terminates, when inplace, just beyond the inner end of the springplate 1), where it isprovided with a point, e,

represents a slotted gage-plate adjustably attached by means of aset-screw to the swinging arm E, as shown. The edge of this plate,

against which the cloth bears when the tucker V is in use, is preferablyset at a slight angle to the line of its sides. Gr represents a swingingspring folding-plate, pivoted at one end to the plate 0, and providedwith an arm, g, by means of which its movement in one direction islimited, as shown. H represents a supplemental plate adapted to holddown the tuck as the fabric is passing through the device, which isrendered capable of adjustment by means of a slot and headed rivet, asshown.

The manner of using my improved device is substantially as follows: Thetucker is first adjusted on the machine in the proper position toproduce the width of tuck desired, and the distance between the tucks.For instance, if it is desired to make tucks a quarter of an inch inwidth and have them lie together, set the main plate B with the line,Fig. 1, which is marked upon the plate 0 in line with the needle. Thenadjust the gage F and also the plate A in line with the line of Fig. 2.If it is desired to increase the width of the tucks and still have themlie together, move the plates B and A equal distances away from theneedle, the gage-plate F being adjusted always in line with the gage aof plate A. For instance, if it is desired to make tucks half an inch inwidth, move plate B until the line of Fig. 2 is in line with the needleand the gages of plate A are in line with Fig. 4. In this position itwill be observed that the cipher-point of the main plate and the gagesof the plate A are 2 senate equally distant from the needle. If it isdesired to have the tucks lie apart from each other on the garment, movethe cipher-point of the main plate B as much further from the needlethan the plate A and gage F as it is desired to have the tucks separatedfrom each other. The desired adjustment of the tucker having been made,it is securely fastened in place upon the machine by the usualset-screw, which in this case serves to hold both the plates -A and B,the plate B being held by the pressure of the arm a. The manner offorming the tuck is as follows: The plates F and G are first swung outof the way to permit the fabric to be easily placed in the tucker. Thehem of the garment is then placed under the spring-plate D, with theseam of the cloth in line with the edge of the plate. The arm E is thenswung back to place and the fabric turned over the plate F. The swingingplate G is then turned back to place, and, the cloth being fed to themachine, the fold is stitched to form a tuck. The first tuck having beenformed, the operation just described is substantially repeated. The tuckjust made is now placed beneath the plate D, with its seam in line withthe edge of the plate, as shown in Fig. 5. The upper portion of thecloth is now turned back over the plate D, and the plate E is swung toplace, as shown in Fig. 6. The remainder of the cloth is then thrownback over the plate F, as shown in Fig. 4, and the plate G being swungto place, the fabric is fed through the machine as before, the plate Hserving to hold the fabric and smooth the fold as it is passing throughthe machine.

Some of the marked advantages of this construction are as follows. Thedevice is readily used by any one, the cloth being placed'in it withoutfolding it or preparing it in any manner whatever, the operation beingentirely mechanical, Without requiring the exercise of judgment. Therules for adjustment are ex ceedingly simple, the operator beingrequired simply to keep the cipher-point of the plate B and the gages ofplate A equally distant from the line of the needle, if it is desired tohave the tucks lie together, the distance from the needle regulating thewidth of the tuck or, if desired to have the tucks lie apart, it isnecessary simply to move the cipher-point of plate B as much furtherfrom the line of the needle than the gageA as it is required to have thetucks separated from each other. Another very important advantagearisingfrom the con struction of my improved tucker is that the upperside of the seam of every tuck is exposed to view with the tucks lyingdownward. The employment of the peculiarly-constructed point of theswinging arm E in connection with the sprin g-plate D is especiallyimportant, because by this means the cloth is securely held as it passesthrough the machine, and tucks of even width are secured. The edge ofspring-plate D, resting in a fold of the cloth, holds it securely fromdisplacement in one direction, and the point resting in the seam holdsit securely from displacementin the other. If desired, the plates G Hmay be dispensed with.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of the plate B, having spring-plate D, with theswinging armE having the point e and the adjustable gage-plate F,combined and arranged as described.

2. The combination of the plates A B 0, spring D, swinging arm E,gage-plate F, holders G and H, constructed and combined as described,for the purpose set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 2d day of September, 1872.

J. H. BEAN.

Witnesses: V S. J. NoYEs,

H. E. MATTHEWS.

